Skin Care
Sweating is healthy for you skin and for excreting toxins. Work it up with exercise or relax in a hot bath. Be sure to drink plenty of water at least an hour beforehand.
To delay the formation of wrinkles: Don’t spend excessive amounts of time in the sun. If you must be in the sun, always use a sun screen. Don’t use tanning beds.
Avoid smoking since it has been linked to premature wrinkles since it lessens circulation to surface capillaries.
Stress is another factor linked to wrinkles since it causes a person to habitually contract facial muscles.
Try to keep your hands away from your face since rubbing your eyes or sitting with your chin on your hand tends to push the face out of its natural position and stretches delicate skin.
Be aware that constant weight gain or loss can cause the skin to sag.
Face Lotion
Peaches & Cream: Peel and mash one very ripe peach. Strain through a sieve to extract all the juice. Mix peach juice with an equal quantity of fresh cream. Keep refrigerated.
High Protein Moisturizer: Beat 1 egg yolk into 1cup whole milk. Apply to face with fingertips. Store remainder in refrigerator.
Anti-Aging/ Wrinkle Remedies
Coconut oil: Apply on the portions of skin and face where wrinkles set in and gently massage every night at bedtime.
Juice of green pineapples and apples: Apply to the face daily and leave for 10-15 minutes. This is excellent for fine wrinkles and cracked skin. Also try rubbing the core of pineapple on the face for a few minutes and leave for 10-15 minutes. Tip: When you buy canned pineapple, save some of the juice in a separate container to use for your skin.
Banana: Bananas are rich in vitamins and minerals, and contain triptophan, a natural relaxant. Bananas are one of the most nourishing fruits available because they contain large quantities of magnesium, potassium, iron, zinc, iodine, and vitamins A, B, E, & F. Mash 1/4 banana until very creamy. Add 1 tsp honey (opt). Spread all over face and leave for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off with warm water followed by a dash of cold. Gently pat dry. Tip: May perk up breasts when applied regularly.
Banana Mask II:
1 small banana 2 Tbsp fresh heavy cream 1 Tbsp honey 1 Tbsp ground oats/ oat flour
Mash the banana, using the back of a fork, and then add cream, honey, and oats. Mix well. You may need to add a little more cream or flour to obtain the consistency of thick cream of yogurt. Apply mask to clean face, including the area around the eyes and the neck, and leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse off with spring water and cotton pads, and dab on a little rose hydrosol, allowing to dry naturally.
Honey: Place a cloth in warm water and apply to your face to open the pores. Smear on honey, and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, then use cold water to close the pores. Use once a week.
Vitamin E:
2 Tsps plain yogurt 1/2 tsp honey 1/2 tsp lemon juice
Prick 3 capsules of vitamin E and drain into small bowl. Add yogurt, honey and juice. Apply to face with cotton ball. Leave on skin for about 10 minutes. Rinse.
Hand & Body Lotion
Eye Care
Egg Whites: Apply under the eyes
Potatoes: Put a sliver under each eye for 10-15 minutes. Helps reduce puffiness
Acne Problems
Whiteheads: Whiteheads are caused by the accumulation of hardened sebum or oil, in the pores of the skin. The clogged sebum is not exposed to the air and oxidation does not take place. These are worm like mass of hardened sebum appearing most frequently on the face, forehead and the nose.
Whitehead Removal
Wash the skin twice a day (3x if skin is greasy), wash make-up off before bed.
Have a balanced diet. Do not take fried foods, chocolates, pastries, spices and aerated drinks.
Unclog skin pores by steaming and applying face pack.
Lips
Lemon lip balm: Mix 4 oz extra virgin olive oil, 3 oz beeswax, 1/2 vitamin E capsule, & 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Chapped Lips: The skin on our lips is actually mucous membrane, so for them to remain smooth and chap free is a bit of a challenge. The most common cause of cracked lips are allergic reaction to cosmetics, skin infections, extreme weather conditions like excess sun and wind exposure, biting of the lips or a vitamin B deficiency.
Remedies for Chapped Lips
Massage dry lips with a generous dollop of petroleum jelly. Allow it to get to work for a couple of minutes to soften your skin. Then, gently rub your lips with a warm, damp facecloth. As the petroleum jelly is removed, the flakes of skin will come with it.
Keep lips soft by not licking them.
Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.
Take vitamin B, C foods in diet.
Mix Vaseline and/ or honey and apply to the lips at least thrice a week will prevent lips from chapping.
Give dry, flaky lips the brush-off; add “brushing your lips” to your morning ritual using a soft toothbrush or terry washcloth.
Cold Sores
Cold sores are painful blisters that break out through your lips, gums and sometimes inside your mouth which takes a little more than a week to recover from. One of the most common treatments for cold sores is Lysine. Lysine is commonly found in animal meats, peanuts, almonds and chocolates. This can reduce up to 50% of the cold sore and be treated within three to four days. Either you consume foods rich with Lysine or purchase an over the counter ointment.
The use of salt water could actually help lessen the sore in the mouth. Salt is considered an antiseptic. Aside from your mouth being clean (due to saliva; it contains natural antimicrobials), this can also be used to treat sore throats by means of gargling and as a toothpaste. Wash those blisters often to get rid of the cold sore faster.
Gelatin may also be helpful. It should be used for four hours interval with ritualistic care. Just maintain the best therapeutic level for your homemade medication so that your cold sore can improve faster and therefore provide lesser time for healing.
Garlic can also alleviate the blisters because it has a healing compound as well as antimicrobial components. Pound it gently and apply to the affected area. This may sting a lot but it is worth the pain.
If these homemade cold sore remedies do not help, consult your doctor for further care of your cold core as there might be an underlying illness involved.
Fine Lines
For Plump Lips
Take half a lemon, smother it in sugar, and rub it on your lips, then rinse in ice cold water
Rub a drop of olive oil on your lips
Make-Up Removers
Do not sleep in your make-up. As you sleep your skin is busy shedding and replenishing skin cells
Milk or Plain Yogurt: Apply to face with a cotton ball, then rinse.
Almond or sesame oil: on a cotton ball will do a great job of taking off makeup, including water-proof mascara
Baby Oil: To remove eye-liner and mascara, but wash your face well with soap and water afterward or your pores will get clogged.
HAIR CARE
“Like your skin, your hair needs nutrition from the inside out. If your diet is deficient in hair-friendly foods, or your digestion is not efficient, all the expensive shampoos and hair treatments in the world won’t be effective at maintaining the color and longevity of your hair. Poor eating habits and lack of exercise are soon reflected in the state of the hair, even a minor case of ill health will usually make the hair look limp and lack lustre. So if you want a healthy, shining crown of hair, start by taking a hard look at what you eat, when you eat and how you eat.”
An adequate supply of protein in diet is essential. Good sources include:
Lean meat, poultry, fish
Nuts, seeds, almonds
Eggs
Seaweed
Skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, yogurt, or cheese, rather than full fat varieties. (ingesting dairy products has been known to cause some health issues such as headaches and bloating)
Try to eat at least 3 pieces of fruit a day – it is packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals. S
Whole grain foods and those with natural oils are highly recommended for the formation of keratin
Avoid saturated fat which is found in red meat, fried food and dairy products. . Substitute vegetable oil such as sunflower, safflower and olive oil for animal fats. These all foods provide nutrients that are essential for healthy hair.
Regular exercise is also important as it promotes good blood circulation, which in turn ensures that vital oxygen and nutrients are transported to the hair root via the blood.
Balance is important to a healthy hair. If you eat a balanced diet with plenty of fresh ingredients, you shouldn’t need to take any supplementary vitamins to promote healthy hair
Shampoo
BASIC: (For normal hair, or as a base to add your own scents)
1/4 cup distilled water 1/4 cup liquid Castile Soap (scented or unscented) 1/2 tsp jojoba, grapeseed, or other light vegetable oil Mix together all the ingredients. Store in a bottle. Shake before use. Mixture will be thin. Tilt the bottle over your head.
To stimulate your scalp with a refreshing scent, try adding 1/8 tsp peppermint oil and 1/8 tsp tree oil.
For shine add 2 Tbsp dried rosemary (steep in d. water until fragrant), 2 Tbsp sweet almond oil, & 1/4 t lemon essential oil or fragrance oil. Strain leaves and let cool. Mix to base shampoo.
For dry hair add 1 tsp glycerin, 1/4 tsp avocado oil, & 1 cup aloe vera gel
To rejuvenate your hair, add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For coconut scent add 10 drops vanilla fragrance oil &10 drops coconut fragrance oil
Dry Shampoo for Oily Hair: Cornstarch. Dip large soft makeup brush in cornstarch and dust through oily spots in hair. Allow to sit for five minutes then brush out with a natural boar bristle brush. Repeat as necessary.
Chamomile (has natural lightening properties, so combine with lemon juice if you want to lighten your hair)
1 cup distilled water 1 cup Castile soap 6 chamomile tea bags 1 1/2 tablespoons glycerin
Steep the tea bags in 1 cup of boiled water for 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard. Add Castile soap to the tea. Stir in glycerin until well blended. Keep in a dark, cool place in a sealed bottle.
Conditioner/ Cream
Basic
1 egg 1 Tbsp Lemon juice 1 Tbsp olive oil.
Mix ingredients. Rinse. Store leftovers for up to 3 days.
Banana
Mash one banana with 2 Tbsp. olive oil until smooth in blender. Apply generously throughout hair. Cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes. Follow-up with a shampoo and rinse.
Mayo (don’t use non/ low fat mayo)
Apply to hair (amt depends on length/ thickness of hair). You can also add 1 Tbsp olive oil and/ or 1Tbsp honey.
Avocado Deep Conditioner
1 small jar of mayonnaise 1/2 avocado
Peel avocado and remove pit. Mix all ingredients in a medium-sized bowl with your hands until it’s a consistent green color. Smooth into hair being careful to work it to the ends. Use shower cap or plastic wrap to seal body heat in. Leave on hair for 20 minutes.
Tropical Island Conditioner
1 avocado Coconut milk
Peel and pit avocado. Mash avocado and slowly add coconut milk until smooth Work through hair to ends. Rinse after 15 minutes and shampoo.
Rosemary hair cream
4 oz Shea butter 1 Tbsp amla oil 2 Tbsp coconut oil 2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp castor oil 1 Tbsp almond oil 10 drops of rosemary oil 2 Tbsp of aloe vera oil
Melt the shea butter in the microwave. Add in all of the other ingredients and mix. Put it in the fridge overnight to firm up. Take it out and allow it to come back to room temperature.
Rinse
Vinegar removes build-up and residue from the hair shaft and closes the cuticles. It restores natural pH and prevents an itchy scalp. Although plain white vinegar works fine, apple cider vinegar seems to be the preferred vinegar. As your hair is drying you will smell vinegar but once your hair dries there will be no smell.
Apple Cider Softening Hair Rinse
1 1/2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 3 cups distilled water.
Mix vinegar and water. Pour over your hair as the final rinse. Good for all hair types. Add juice from 1/2 lemon for added shine
Homemade Dandruff Remedies
One of the best ways to control dandruff is to apply a mix of vinegar and water to the scalp.
Apply warm coconut oil on the scalp with a cotton ball. Leave it overnight. Apply the juice of a lemon on the scalp the next morning and wash your hair as usual after 30 minutes.
Mix some olive oil and almond oil and massage into your scalp. Leave for 5 minutes then rinse.
Add 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 3 Tbsp apple juice, & 6 finely ground cloves to shampoo. Massage into scalp.
Natural Hair Shaping Products
Hairspray
1/2 orange 1/2 lemon
Chop fruit into small pieces and place in a pot with 2 cups water. Boil until reduced by half. Cool, strain, and place in a spray bottle. Store in the refrigerator or add one ounce rubbing alcohol to store at room temperature for up to two weeks. Add more water to reduce stickiness, if desired.
Hair Gel
1/2 to 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
Dissolve gelatin in 1 cup warm water. Keep refrigerated in sealed container. Also, try a teaspoon of sugar dissolved in a cup of warm water for a handy and effective setting solution.
Frizz Controller
1/2 cup conditioner 1/4 cup honey 1 tablespoon almond oil
Mix all ingredients, blending well. Spray hair with water mister to dampen it. Work mixture through hair thoroughly. Leave on for 20 minutes. Shampoo.
Frizz Control for Curly Hair
1 small aloe vera leaf
Snip off end of leaf and apply a dollop of gel to palm. Work through hair to ends.
Natural Hair Color Enhancers
Hair Bleach Put equal parts water & hydrogen peroxide into a spray bottle. Spray hair evenly. Rinse out in 20-30 minutes.
Blonde Hair Enhancer
6 chamomile tea bags 1/2 cup plain yogurt lavender oil
Bring 1 cup water to boil and steep tea bags for 15 minutes. Discard tea bags. Mix yogurt and 7 drops of lavender oil with tea, mix thoroughly. Work the mixture through dry hair to ends. Cover head in plastic wrap and condition for 30 minutes. Shampoo hair.
Also try adding lemon juice to your hair. It will aid in the natural highlighting from the sun. Add salt to get “beach hair”
Brown Hair Enhancer
Triple strength black coffee (amt varies depending on length and thickness of hair)
Shampoo hair. Place a large bowl in sink and rinse hair with cooled coffee. Repeat several times, reusing the coffee. Leave final rinse in hair for at least 15 minutes. Rinse with clear water.
Red Hair Enhancer
1/2 cup beet juice 1/2 cup carrot juice
Mix ingredients together, pour over clean, damp hair. Wrap head in plastic and apply hot towel, medium dryer heat, or sit in the sun for one hour. Shampoo
Restoring Remedy for Grey Hair
1/2 cup dried sage 1/4 cup dried rosemary
Simmer rosemary and sage in 2 cups of water for 30 minutes, then steep for several hours. Apply to gray hair and allow to dry, then shampoo. Repeat weekly until desired shade is reached, then once a month for maintenance.
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